Sold in Summer—Pencil Drawings

Five of these pencil drawings sold at my solo show in Tulare, “Around Here (and Sometimes a Little Farther)”. The others were pencil commissions, which I showed you with all the slow developments in painstaking detail. I love pencil. Did you know that? Thus we conclude another post about the business of art, because. . […]

Procrastination and Completion

The plan was to finish the 10×30” commissioned oil painting of the two redwood trees. When I set up in the painting workshop, it looked too hard and too big and too daunting. So I indulged in some productive procrastination, opting instead to finish the plein air painting of the pumpkin field. This meant that […]

Random Thoughts on a Mineral King September Weekend

The weekend began with a surprise visit by a childhood friend. I knew she might be coming in the fall, but so many people tell me their potential visit dates that I don’t even try to keep track. That meant it was a wonderful surprise, and I got to spend an hour or so with […]

SIX More Learneds in September

Bonus Post 2. AT&T is so awful. I have known this for a long time, but it got driven home again when I got a letter from a collection agency saying I owe $666 for a phone number that they NEVER activated, I NEVER had or used (because how can you use something you don’t […]

Learned Much in September—9 Things

This month’s list is long, many thoughts, few photos. Settle in, and enjoy! Food 1.Intermittent fasting for three months did not work to remove me from the category of pre-diabetes. I am discouraged, disappointed, disgusted. Dis, dis, dis. Maybe it is time to accept the reality. I hear over and over that “EVERYONE” is prediabetic, […]

Too Dark For Painting

We had an overcast day, with the typical over-promise-and-underdeliver weather forecast of rain. Oh well, at least we didn’t have lightning to worry about. Since it was too dark to paint, I spent my working hours in the studio, drawing this pencil commission piece. Sometimes this feels as if I am racing along at a […]

September in Mineral King

A recent weekend in Mineral King in photos with commentary, as usual, from your Central California artist. The hazard tree crew returned to our neighborhood. We had rain, both up and down the hill. It was overcast for a day or so after the rain. I wonder if this would make a good pencil drawing. […]

A Stop on the Way Home

California has 21 missions, built in the 1700s or perhaps some in the 1800s. I don’t remember all the details from 4th grade, but I still love seeing those extremely ancient buildings. I detoured slightly on the way home from Gilroy to visit the mission in San Juan Bautista. It is better cared for than […]